HMCS Lunenburg

Last updated

HMCS Lunenburg.jpg
HMCS Lunenburg
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgCanada
NameLunenburg
Namesake Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Ordered24 January 1940
Builder Davie Shipbuilding, Lauzon
Laid down28 September 1940
Launched10 July 1941
Commissioned4 December 1941
Decommissioned23 July 1945
Identification Pennant number: K151
Honours and
awards		Atlantic 1942–45; North Africa 1942–43; English Channel 1944; Normandy 1944; [1] Gulf of St. Lawrence 1942 [2]
FateScrapped 1946.
General characteristics
Class and type Flower-class corvette [3]
Displacement925 long tons (940 t; 1,036 short tons)
Length205 ft (62.48 m)o/a
Beam33 ft (10.06 m)
Draught11.5 ft (3.51 m)
Installed power
  • 2 × fire tube Scotch boilers
  • 1 × 4-cycle triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
  • 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW)
PropulsionSingle shaft
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range3,500 nmi (6,482 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement85
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × SW1C or 2C radar
  • 1 × Type 123A or Type 127DV sonar
Armament

HMCS Lunenburg was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort. She was named for Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Contents

Background

Flower-class corvettes like Lunenburg serving with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were different from earlier and more traditional sail-driven corvettes. [4] [5] [6] The "corvette" designation was created by the French as a class of small warships; the Royal Navy borrowed the term for a period but discontinued its use in 1877. [7] During the hurried preparations for war in the late 1930s, Winston Churchill reactivated the corvette class, needing a name for smaller ships used in an escort capacity, in this case based on a whaling ship design. [8] The generic name "flower" was used to designate the class of these ships, which – in the Royal Navy – were named after flowering plants. [9]

Corvettes commissioned by the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War were named after communities for the most part, to better represent the people who took part in building them. This idea was put forth by Admiral Percy W. Nelles. Sponsors were commonly associated with the community for which the ship was named. Royal Navy corvettes were designed as open sea escorts, while Canadian corvettes were developed for coastal auxiliary roles which was exemplified by their minesweeping gear. Eventually the Canadian corvettes would be modified to allow them to perform better on the open seas. [10]

Construction

Lunenburg was ordered on 24 January 1940 as part of the 1939–1940 Flower-class building program. She was laid down George T. Davie & Sons Ltd. at Lauzon, Quebec on 28 September 1940 and launched 10 July 1941. Lunenburg was commissioned at Quebec City on 4 December 1941. [11] [12]

During her career Lunenburg went through three significant refits. The first took place after she was assigned to duties associated with Operation Torch in 1942. Upon arrival in the United Kingdom, she was given added AA armaments to protect her against the increased chance of aerial bombardment. Her second major refit began in March 1943 at Liverpool, Nova Scotia and was completed on 17 August 1943. During this refit her fo'c'sle was extended. Her third and final significant refit began in the fall of 1944 at Saint John and was completed at Halifax mid-January 1945. [12]

Service history

Chipping ice on Lunenburg, January 1942 Chipping ice on HMCS Lunenburg Jan 1942 LAC 3571775.jpg
Chipping ice on Lunenburg, January 1942

After initial workups, Lunenburg was deployed as a local escort. In July 1942 she transferred to Halifax Force and escorted convoys between Quebec and Labrador. In August 1942, Lunenburg was reassigned to the Gulf Escort Force before being sent to the United Kingdom in September as part of Canada 's contribution to Operation Torch. [12]

Beginning in November 1942, Lunenburg began escorting convoys between the United Kingdom and sites around and within the Mediterranean Sea. She was occupied with this for the next four months, until she was dispatched to Canada for a major refit. Upon resumption of her service in November 1943, she was assigned to Western Approaches Command under Royal Navy control as part of escort group EG 6. For the following five months, she escorted convoys to and from the United Kingdom. [12]

When the group replaced its corvettes with frigates, Lunenburg was sent to Portsmouth after being assigned to Operation Neptune, the naval aspect of the invasion of Normandy. She was employed mainly in the English Channel for the next five months before returning to Canada in the fall of 1944 for a major refit. After workups in Bermuda Lunenburg returned to her duties in the English Channel, this time attached to Plymouth Command. She served with them until the end of the war, returning to Canada in June 1945 for the last time. [12]

Lunenburg was paid off at Sorel, Quebec on 23 July 1945. The ship was sold for scrapping in June 1946 and was broken up at Hamilton, Ontario. [12] [13]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Royal Canadian Warships – The Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence – Second World War". Veterans Affairs Canada. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  3. ↑ Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. p. 184. ISBN   978-1-86176-281-8.
  4. ↑ Ossian, Robert. "Complete List of Sailing Vessels". The Pirate King. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  5. ↑ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. (1978). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare. Vol. 11. London: Phoebus. pp. 1137–1142.
  6. ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II . New Jersey: Random House. 1996. p.  68. ISBN   0-517-67963-9.
  7. ↑ Blake, Nicholas; Lawrence, Richard (2005). The Illustrated Companion to Nelson's Navy. Stackpole Books. pp. 39–63. ISBN   0-8117-3275-4.
  8. ↑ Chesneau, Roger; Gardiner, Robert (June 1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. Naval Institute Press. p. 62. ISBN   0-87021-913-8.
  9. ↑ Milner, Marc (1985). North Atlantic Run. Naval Institute Press. pp. 117–119, 142–145, 158, 175–176, 226, 235, 285–291. ISBN   0-87021-450-0.
  10. ↑ Macpherson, Ken; Milner, Marc (1993). Corvettes of the Royal Canadian Navy 1939–1945. St. Catharines: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN   1-55125-052-7.
  11. ↑ "HMCS Lunenburg (K 151)". Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Macpherson, Ken; Burgess, John (1981). The ships of Canada's naval forces 1910–1981 : a complete pictorial history of Canadian warships. Toronto: Collins. p. 79. ISBN   0-00216-856-1.
  13. ↑ "Lunenburg (6112005)" . Miramar Ship Index . Retrieved 13 July 2016.

Related Research Articles

HMCS <i>Pictou</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Pictou was a Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She fought mainly in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Pictou, Nova Scotia.

HMCS <i>Moose Jaw</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Moose Jaw was a Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during World War II. Together with HMCS Chambly, she achieved the RCN's first U-boat kill of the war. She was named after Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

HMCS <i>Halifax</i> (K237) Flower-class corvette

HMCS Halifax was a Royal Canadian Navy revised Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Halifax, Nova Scotia.

HMCS <i>Camrose</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Camrose was a Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She was named for Camrose, Alberta.

HMCS <i>Trillium</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Trillium was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served mainly as a convoy escort in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was one of ten corvettes loaned to the Canadian navy by the Royal Navy and the only one which remained an ocean escort throughout the war. She was named after the flowering plant genus Trillium, which includes wakerobin, tri flower, and birthroot.

HMCS <i>Galt</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Galt was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy that served during the Second World War. She saw action primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named after the city of Galt, Ontario.

HMCS <i>Dawson</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Dawson was a Flower-class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) during the Second World War. She was one of the few Canadian corvettes to serve in action in both oceans. She was named for Dawson City, Yukon.

HMCS <i>Kamsack</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Kamsack was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort. She was named for Kamsack, Saskatchewan.

HMCS <i>Edmundston</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Edmundston was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was named for Edmundston, New Brunswick.

HMCS <i>Matapedia</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Matapedia was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort. She was named for Matapédia, Quebec.

HMCS <i>Morden</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Morden was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort.

HMCS <i>Sherbrooke</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Sherbrooke was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort. She is named for Sherbrooke, Quebec.

HMCS <i>Sorel</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Sorel was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as an ocean escort. She is named for Sorel, Quebec.

HMCS <i>The Pas</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS The Pas was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She served primarily as an ocean escort in the Battle of the Atlantic and as a training ship. She was named for The Pas, Manitoba.

HMCS <i>Ville de Quebec</i> (K242) Flower-class corvette

HMCS Ville de Québec was a Royal Canadian Navy revised Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for Quebec City, Quebec. Following the war, the ship was sold to commercial interests, in service until 1952.

HMCS <i>Dundas</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS Dundas was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw action in both Atlantic and Pacific theatres of the war. She was named for Dundas, Ontario.

HMCS <i>New Westminster</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS New Westminster was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw action primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for New Westminster, British Columbia.

HMCS <i>Vancouver</i> (K240) Flower-class corvette

HMCS Vancouver was a Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She saw action primarily in both Atlantic and Pacific theatres. She was named for Vancouver, British Columbia. She was the second commissioned ship and the third overall to bear the name Vancouver.

HMCS <i>La Malbaie</i> Flower-class corvette

HMCS La Malbaie was a Royal Canadian Navy revised Flower-class corvette which took part in convoy escort duties during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic. She was named for La Malbaie, Quebec. She was originally named Fort William but her name was changed before commissioning.

HMCS <i>Frontenac</i> Modified Flower-class corvette

HMCS Frontenac was a modified Flower-class corvette that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. She fought primarily in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort. She was named for Kingston, Ontario, but due to a naming conflict with a Royal Navy vessel, the name Frontenac was chosen to commemorate the city instead of naming it directly. Kingston is the county seat of Frontenac County, Ontario and the site of Fort Frontenac.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.